Consequences

One my least favorite things to do as a parent is having to correct my kids when they don't follow rules.  I caught one of the boys up after bed time watching tv last night-breaking 2 rules-up late, and more than the allowed time to watch tv.  I had him turn it off and go to bed.  I went to bed contemplating how to deal with his behavior.  I wanted to just ignore it-pretend like it never happened.  But realistically how is that helping him?  It would only teach him that he is allowed to ignore the rules we have in place because there are no consequences to breaking the rules.  And if there are no consequences to rules, the way that I am preparing him for adulthood is all wrong-he will always have a problem defying authority.  Better learned now than in adulthood.

I went back to the Bible (Proverbs 13:24) to give myself the pep talk:  "Whoever spares the rod hates their child, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them."  Great reminder!  Ignoring the problem is the equivalent of hate for my child-I better not do that!  So correction it is!

If the tv is the culprit, then the tv must go.  I hate taking the tv away, but it must be done-especially on the verge of school starting, and knowing we will have busy schedules.  I pray this is what is right to do, and it corrects the problem permanently.